Loose-leaf binder with floating rings



Oct. 6, 1959 Filed Aug. 2, 1957 E. C. RANKIN LOOSE-LEAF BINDER WITH FLOATING RINGS FIG L 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. C. RANKIN LOOSE-LEAF BINDER WITH FLOATING RINGS Get. 6, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Filed Aug. 2, 1957 Unie Sttes Pate f 2,907,332 LOOSE-LEAF BINDER WITH FLOATING RINGS Edward C. Oak Park, 111., assignor to Brock and Rankin, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application August 2, 1957, Serial No. 675,929 12 Claims. (Cl.'129-17) The present disclosures pertain to improvements in a floating prong or ring loose-leaf binding mechanism of the type described in a copending application Serial No. 657,812, filed May 8, 1957, these improvements relating principally to the provision of especially conformed channel members for seating and interlocking the binding prongs securely to further enhance the cooperative alignment and strength thereof while simplifying assembly operations and reducing manufacturing and material costs.

Additional features of improvement pertain to the formation of mounting channels having lateral heel-slot formations through which heel portions of the binding prongs project for engagement with a single assembly rod common to all of the prongs to be carried by a given channel member whereby said prongs are secured in assembled relation with said channel member, the latter having certain slot means which, in addition to the aforesaid heel slot formations, provide a three-point supporting interlock for each prong element.

The improvements further contemplate an arrangement of notches in the channel and prong members engaged by certain parts of the prongs in closed condition to afiord a cantilever-like support which extends the load-supporting capabilities of the prongs in general, and which is of especial importance where binders are to be shipped heavily loaded with sheets.

Additional objects and aspects of novelty and utility pertain to details of the construction and operation of the preferred embodiment described hereinafter in View of the annexed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top view of the basic floating-ring binding mechanism in closed condition and without covers;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the binding ring mechanism open to reading position and attached to a set of covers (broken away);

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of one of the binder channels;

Fig. 4 is a detail of one of the binder prongs;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective illustrative of the cantilever relationship between the prongs and locking rod;

. Fig. 5A is a fragmentary perspective detail of a modified latch handle structure;

Fig. 6 is a bottom perspective view of one of the prong channels illustrative of the prong-heel rod-locking assembly;

Fig. 7 is an end view of a binder with prongs fully open in loading position.

Referring to Fig. 1, the basic binding mechanism consists of a pair of channels or metals 10, especially shaped in particulars hereafter pointed out, which are adapted to be attached to the backbone region of a set of binder covers 30, in the manner shown in Fig. 2, by

means such as rivets (not seen), preferably through the channel angle walls 12 and narrow cover Wing portions 35. I

The cover set is of the multiple hinge type in that the backbone (Fig. 2) has a principal median hinge 32 dividing the same into two backbone sections 33, to each of which is hingedly attached, at 34, a narrow wing 35, the main cover boards 30 in turn being hingedly attached as at 36 to said wings.

Patented Oct. 6, 1959 The special shape of the elongated ring channels 10 is illustrated best in Fig. 3, from which it will appear that the cross-section of the channel is somewhat that of a letter C (Fig. 2 also) and includes a base portion 11 having an upwardly-pitched angle wall12, from which projects an upright wall or wing portion 13 I,

The base portion 11 has a narrow upset edge portion or bottom flange 11A, while the wing portion has its edge struck over to provide a horizontal top flange 13A.

A very important aspect of these angularly-walled channel members is the provision therein of special seating means for the floating prong elements, including particularly a lateral heel slot 12X in the angled wall 12, together with a pair of flanking marginal slots 11X and 13X formed respectively in the edgewise flanges on the base and wing.

The wing slots 13X are widened as at 13Z at the mouth and narrower at the root, as seen in Fig. 3, in order to receive a double-prong thickness at the mouth for reasons to appear.

To facilitate the use of thin metal stock, the channels are reinforced with laterally stamped ribs 39 (Figs. 2 and 7) which are contrived to extend into all three of the sections of the channels, that is to say, the base, angle and wing portions thereof.

One of the individual floating ring or prong elements is detailed in Fig. 4 and consists of aradius or foot member 40 from one end of which projects a short chordal leg 41, the conjunction of which, with said radius member, constitutes an angular heel portion which is pierced to provide a pin hole 42 to receive a mounting pin.

From the knee 43 at the upper end of the chordal leg projects reentrantly an arcuate stringer portion or binding prong 48 which overlies the foot and is concentric with a pintle hole 44 in a central enlargement 45 in said foot or radius member, the free end of the latter having an enlarged toe portion 46 pierced at 47 to receive the recurved ends 50A of a latch rod 50 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5).

In its basic aspects, the floating-ring construction is described and claimed as aforesaid in a copending application Serial No. 657,812. The expression floating ring refers to the mounting of rings or prongs in opposite pairs (or singly with all prongs facing one way) by means of a centrally located hinge or pintle rod 52 passing through all of the rod holes 44 in parallelism with the main hinge 32 of the binder covers 30.

This floating-ring construction achieves substantially perfect and lasting alignment of the prongs 48 all along the main hinge axis (i.e. rod 52) and therefore relative to the sheets or pages (not shown) which are to be strung thereon, the problem of alignment in this type of binder being a serious one in the industry, particularly as respects the simpler and less expensive forms of construction. In eifect, the channels or metals become part of the prongs, as do the covers since they in turn are more or less yieldingly attached to the channels; and thus the entire hinging operation, including any ancillary movements at the cover hinges, floats about the center through rod 52. V

For large-capacity binders (e.g. so-called 3-inch rings) the multiple-binder hinge structure 32-3436 is necessary to facilitate loading and unloading and to provide a wide reading gutter.

Of equal importance to concentricity and alignment of the binding prongs is the rigidity and stability thereof, and in this respect the construction herein disclosed and claimed constitutes an important advance in the art relating to so-called ring binders, the rigidity of the presently-disclosed prong structure arising from the provision of a three-point seating thereof in the O-Shaped angularly-walled channels wherein (Fig. 7) the radius or foot member 40 seats in the base slot 11A, the heel at 42 seats in the lateral angle slot 12X, and the knee 43 seats in the. top flange 13X.

The entire set of stringer rings or prongs 48' pertaining to any one channel ill is secured in operative assembly therewith by a single retaining means common thereto and engaged in the heel holes 42 of each ring of' the corresponding set. For example, all of the prongs for the channel seen in Fig. 6 have the appertaining heel portions at 42 secured by a long retaining rod 53, the angled face 12 of each C-channel afi'ording a space opposite the hinge angle at 34 of the covers (Figs. 2' and 7) to accommodate the heel and rod means 42, 53.

Preferably, the floating-ring nomenclature is extended to embrace a somewhat yieldable attachment of each channel member 10 to the appertaining wing portion 35 of the covers by having the holes for the rivets 31 in channels 10 over-sized and by providing rubber grommets (not seen) to fill up the clearance difference with the result that a limited movement of the channels 10 relative to the wings 35 is permitted so that the cover structure handles and lies better than is the case with rigidly attached metals, as such binding mechanisms are commonly called in the trade.

The floating-ring structure makes possible such a loose attachment of the covers since the pivotal axis for the prongs is absolutely independent of the covers, and in fact with reference to "Fig. l for instance, the binding means can operate as well without any cover structure whatever.

The slot-supporting means 11X4rl; 13X-43 flanking the bedded-heel interlock at 12X-42, gives added support at dificrent levels relative to the support of the heel andgives sufiicient practical stiffening to the prong means to make it possible to use light metal stock, including a hardened aluminum.

The enlarged end portions 46 may be provided on all prongs on one side of axis 52, or on only the prongs near the opposite ends of the channel assembly to support of the latch rod 50 for rocking movement out of the crotch formed near the ends 40X of the companion prongs of each pair when in open position, it being noted from Fig. 2 that. the end portions 4tlX of the companion prongs impinge against the normal pivoted latch rod 5! when the binder is opened to reading position, springs 49 (Fig. 1) rocking this rod into latching position for automatic stoppage of the opening movement at said reading position. To free the rings for further opening movement to open loading position it is necessary manually to rock the rod.

In order to spread the prongs apart for loading the latch rod 50 is rocked to the dotted-line position of Fig. 2 far enough to clear said free ends 48X of the companion prong and permit further pivotal opening from the condition of Fig. 2, to the full open position shown in Fig. 7.

Rocking of the latch rod as aforesaid is facilitated by having'the recurved part 59A long enough at its bight to form a handle at one end of the channels, at least. It is also preferable, as illustrated particularly in Fig. 5, to locate the rod holes in the toe portions 46 so that the main and recurved parts of the latch rod can bear down upon the radius arms 45 in the closing direction of movement thereof to aiford additional reinforcement of the cantilever type.

In the construction of Fig. 5A the releasing operation of the latch rod is facilitated at slight added cost by provision of a thumb lever SilX of aluminum or the like having a rectangular slot fitting tightly onto the bight portions of the rod'between the main part 50 and recurved part 50A thereof.

Two further features of importancerelate, firstly, to

the cantilever-type of reinforcement bearing with which the extended free end regions at 49X and 46 of the prongs bear down upon the opposite base notches 11Z of the h companion channel pieces; and secondly, to the locking-in of the nose portions 48X of the stringers or prongs in the top flange notches 13Z when in closed condition.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the baseflange slot 11X has an offset or notch portion 11Z so that the upper part of the entire slot 11X is wider at the top or mouth than at its root. From Figs. 2 and 4 it will be observed that an interlock notch 46Z is provided in the underside of the enlarged toe portion 46 at the free ends of certain of the radius members.

Thus, the principal cantilever interlock is achieved by entry of the toe or free-end portions of one foot or radius member into the shallow notch portions 112 of the opposite channel, which condition is found at 112 in Fig. 5; and the further interlocks are achieved by projection of prong nose portions 48X in the widened or oilset notch portions of the bearing of parts of the latch rod upon underlying parts of the radius members.

In'order to reduce the weight, bulk and cost of binders of the type described, the stringers or prongs must be strong enough tomaintain cooperative alignment and Withstand a certain amount of abuse incurred in normal handling of the binders. In addition, severe stresses are placed upon the metals and prongs in shipping loaded binders, as the weight of a full stack of sheets strung, for example, on a twoor three-inch set of rings is very considerable, and the shock load caused by dropping such a volume, or a shipping carton containing numbers of them, is a familiar and serious source of loss in the industry.

The present disclosures afford a binding mechanism which lends itself especially well to economical mass production methods, and which is not cumbersome or unsightly in appearance, and not awkward to manipulate, in which respects the novel floating-prong mechanism is superior to prior binders having like load-bearing capabilities.

I claim:

1. In a ring-type binding mechanism, binding ring members each having an arcuate stringer portion situated above and connected to a lower radius arm, and mounting means for said ring members comprising a long channel member having seating slots aligned with lateral heel slots in sets at spaced intervals therealong and intoand through each of which projects an apertured heel portion of one of said ring members located near that end of its radius arm which is connected to the stringer portion, all of the heel portions being secured to the channel member by a rod projecting through all of the heel apertures.

2. A ring-type binding mechanism comprising: a pair of elongated channels each having an angle in its bottom with laterally-extensive slots cut through said angle at spaced points along the length of the channel, stringers each having a radius arm with an integral arcuate stringer prong attached at one particular end thereof and at a certain distance thereabove, the arcuate prong portions each being concentric with an axis point adjacent the remaining end portion of the appertaining radius arm, each stringer having a pierced heel portion at said particular end and fitting through one of the heel slots in one of said channels, the stringers of each channel being assembled therewith by means of'a common retaining rod engaging in the pierced part of each heel portion therein, the stringers of the two channels being joined by a common pintle rod passing through the said axis points at the remaining endportions of the respective radius arms thereof and susbtantially concentrically of each said arcuate prong portion.

3. In a binder, a floating ring construction comprising a pair of elongated channel-shaped pieces each having a longitudinally-extending trough portion along the bottom wall portions thereof and said trough portions being of V-cross section; and floatingring members each comprising a radius member having a chordally-extending leg joined thereto at one end and an arcuate sheet stringer extending back over said arm concentrically of a center near the free end thereof, each said floating ring member having a portion at the conjunction of the chordal leg and radius member projected through a slot formed across the trough of the channel piece and pierced to receive a retaining rod similarly engaging and retaining all of the ring members in operative assembly with the appertaining channel-shaped piece as aforesaid, the ring members of one channel piece being located each to cooperate with one of the ring members of the other channel piece with the ring members of both channel pieces by means of a single hinge rod passing through the radius members of all ring members at a point concentric with the respective arcuate stringers thereof.

4. In a binder, a floating ring construction comprising a pair of elongated channel-shaped members each having a longitudinally extending trough portion along the bottom thereof, said trough portions being of angular cross section; and binding-prongs each comprising a radius foot having a chordally-extending leg integrally joined thereto at one end thereof together with an arcuate sheet stringer returning back over said foot concentrically of a pivotal center located between the opposite ends of the foot, each said prong having a heel portion at the conjunction of its chordal leg With the radius foot member projected through a heel slot formed across the trough of-the appertaining channel piece, each said heel portion being pierced to receive a long retaining rod similarly engaging and securing all of the ring members in operative assembly with the appertaining channel member, as aforesaid; each channel member having additional angularly disposed portions notched to seat parts of each prong member at locations situated on opposite sides of the appertaining heel portions, whereby each prong member is supported at not less than three points spaced apart crosswise of the channel members.

5. A binding mechanism comprising a pair of channel members and pairs of stringers mounted on a common central pivot rod, each said stringer consisting of a radius arm through an end region of which said pivot rod passes, and each radius arm having at its opposite end a chordal leg from an end of which projects an arcuate stringer portion concentric to said rod, each stringer having a corner portion at the conjunction of its radius arm and leg constituting a heel, all of the stringers lying on the respectively opposite sides of said pintle rod being seated in one of said channel members having an angle formed along the bottom thereof and slotted crosswise of said angle at positions along the length thereof so that each slot receives and passes one of the heel portions of a stringer, said heel portions being pierced and all heel portions on a given channel being held in assembly therewith by a common pin through the pierced portion of each heel.

6. A loose-leaf binder comprising a pair of elongated channels of approximately C-shaped cross section each having heel slots spaced along the bottom, the opposite longitudinal edge portions of which are each provided with a flange, said flanges being provided with paired notches at intervals to receive and seat parts of a binding prong; a'hinged set of covers attached to said channels with a hinge axis located medially between the same; binding prongs in pairs with each of the prongs of a pair seated in correspondingly paired notches in one of the channels opposite its companion prong in the other channel, each said prong consisting of a radius member having an upwardly-spaced overlying arcuate stringer prong connected at one end to one end of the radius member by a leg the conjunction of which with its radius member constitutes a heel, the heel of each prong being projected through one of said heel slots in the appertaining channel; means engaging the projected heel portions of each prong in a channel for securing the latter in assembly with said channel; and pintle means engaging the radius member of each prong and providing a pivotal axis therefor extending lengthwise of the channels and concentrical- 1y of all arcuate stringer prongs such that the channels with attached covers and the prongs of each pair pivot relative to'each other about a main axis through said pintle means; and latch means releasably cooperable with,

and preventing pivotal movement of, the prongs of one or more pairs beyond a predetermined limit of movement away from each other to an open loading position relative to each other.

7. For a loose-leaf binder, sheet-binding mechanism comprising: a pair of metal channels, a series of binding prong members mounted at intervals to extend crosswise along the length of each channel, each prong member in one channel being pivotally supported in alignment with a companion prong member in the opposite channel to pivot about a common axis which is medially located between, and in parallelism with, said channels, each prong member having an arcuate sheet-stringing prong which is concentric of said axis, and each prong member having three points of support in its appertaining channel and being attached thereto at one of said points whereby the channels float with said prongs on said common axis.

8. A construction according to claim 7 in which said points of support do not lie on a straight line.

9. A construction according to claim 6 in which said latch means comprises a long wire rod having opposite ends recurved in hook fashion with the respective recurved parts pivotally seated near the pivoted toe portions of prongs spaced apart along the axis of said pintle and lying on the same side thereof, with the main body of said rod disposed in at least one of its pivoted conditions to abut parts of other prongs lying on the opposite side of said axis to limit relative pivotal movement of the assembly of prongs from closed toward open position as aforesaid.

10. A construction according to claim 7 further characterized in that the said three points of support are effected by parts of the prong member engaging in cut-out portions of the appertaining channel.

11. The construction of claim 10 further characterized in that the one portion of the prong member which is supported at that point located between the remaining two points of support is passed entirely through the appertaining channel to the outside bottom thereof and there secured by a retaining rod.

12. A loose-leaf binding mechanism comprising a pair of elongated channels each having a bottom Wall flanked by a pair of upwardly angled sidewalls, the longitudinal edges of said sidewalls each having a flange offset therefrom; at least two pairs of binding prongs having pivoted attachments with a common central pivot rod, all of the prongs lying on one side of said rod being rigidly attached to one of said channels, and all of the prongs on the opposite side of the rod being rigidly attached to the other said channel whereby said channels float with said prongs on said pivot rod; each prong comprising an arcuate stringer portion concentric with said rod and having conjoined with one end of its arc a chordally-directed leg from which projects a straight radius arm directed diametrically of said are back to the radial center thereof for pivotal juncture with said rod, one of the prongs of each pair being seated respectively in three aligned slot formations in one of said channels, two of which slot formations are each located respectively in one of said edgewise flanges, and the third slot formation in each trio being located at an intermediate position in said bottom wall of the corresponding channel; and means engaging all of the prong parts seated in said intermediate slot formations in the appertaining channel to secure said prongs thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 790,779 Brown l May 23, 1903 806,873 Crowder Dec. 12, 1905 901,549 Nelson Oct. 20, 1908 990,323 Wiley Apr. 25, 1911 

